Our Venerable Father Ephrem the Syrian (373)
1 John 1:8-2:6; Mark 13:31-14:2
No fasting or abstention from foods.
Read 1 John 1:8-2:6
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
The greatest of virtues is humility since it is the opposite of the greatest of vices, pride. A critical element of humility, one which can be overlooked or ignored, is to acknowledge and accept reality—chiefly, the reality of God’s glory, the truth of God’s love for and mercy towards us, and our own brokenness.
Because of our own brokenness, from which we suffer because of original sin, we are sinners. This is a part of the reality of fallen humanity. If we refuse to admit to this, we place ourselves at great peril. It’s a lot like someone who refuses to acknowledge his or her poor health or refuses to heed to a doctor’s warning that they need to change their lifestyle. However, ignoring spiritual sickness puts us at eternal peril.
Furthermore, if we do not acknowledge our brokenness and sinfulness, we cannot accept the healing and salvation that Our Lord bestows upon us.
However, when we admit our sinfulness, we can begin to abide in and with Christ. We can live His commandment of love and come to know Him. He grants forgiveness of sins and communion with God.
This requires humility—acknowledging the reality of sin in our lives and that it can be overcome only through Christ.